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Travel Destination Port Arthur

The Convict History of Tasmania. Wonderful Coastal Scenery. Historic Accommodation.

Travel destination Port Arthur has Tasmania’s top tourist attraction, the Port Arthur Historic Site. It attracts over 250,000 visitors a year. It will take you 90 minutes to drive the 60 Kms (37 Mi) from Hobart. You will cross the Dunalley Canal and Eaglehawk Neck, driving through heavily forested areas and passing through small country towns. It is an easy day trip from Hobart, but if you are driving yourself, plan to stay several nights to really get a feel for rural Tasmania. Day tours are available from Hobart to Port Arthur and the Tasman Peninsula.

History of Travel Destination Port Arthur: In the 1830’s, the Tasman Peninsula was mainly a source of timber. Between 1833 and 1850, a prison settlement was established. It was named Port Arthur after the Lieutenant Governor of Van Diemen’s Land, George Arthur. The prison was for Secondary Offenders, the hardened criminals who had caused trouble elsewhere. It was an extremely harsh place, and became an excellent example of the Separate Prison System. It was the beginning of psychological punishment being used as well as physical. Port Arthur was abandoned as a prison in 1877, and was burned out in bushfires in 1895. It was just a collection of ruins until 1979, when the State Government began restoration. It was created a World Heritage Site in 2010 .

Travel Destination Port Arthur Today: There are two reasons to visit: Scenery and Wildlife … and the true story of Australia’s Convict Heritage.

The Tasman Peninsula is itself a natural prison, the coastal scenery running from Pirates Bay to Tasman Island is some of the most amazing you will ever experience. It can easily be seen from the clifftops or from a Tasman Island sea cruise. The clifftop walks from Devil’s Kitchen to Waterfall Bay take an hour, but longer walks on clearly marked tracks are available.

The Port Arthur Historic Site is like a big, open air museum. Great care has been taken to restore the buildings. The Information Centre tells the story of Convict Transportation from England and Ireland. Be a Convict – the beautifully restored Model Prison will give you a chance to experience life as it was in a Penal Colony in the 1800’s. The Isle of the Dead was the burial ground for both prisoners (unmarked graves) and Prison Officials (headstones). It can be visited by ferry as part of your admission.

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Australian.com is your official Australian Vacation Package and Tour Guide. You will find the best vacation packages and day tours in Australia. Going to Sydney? Choose from the best Sydney tours for the trip. Melbourne tours are gateway to the Yarra Valley and Great Ocean Road, so take a Melbourne tour and book online for the best price. Need to rent a Campervan, Motorhome or RV? Travel from Sydney north along the coast to Port Macquarie, Byron Bay and Brisbane. Want to snorkel or dive the Great Barrier Reef? Book one of the Great Barrier Reef Tours online for the best price and information for cheap or luxury boat tours. Uluru Ayers Rock is in the amazing red centre of Australia. Ride a camel, watch sunrise on the Rock and have dinner in the desert at Sounds of Silence. For more information check out the Australian Government website.